LYCOMING COUNTY, Pa. — Rider Park in Gamble Township, near Trout Run, will soon look a little different. It's getting some upgrades this summer, including a new gate at the main entrance and a widened road that will make it easier for parkgoers and buses to get in and out of the parking lot.
"We will also be doing an additional 31 parking spaces and upgrades to all the existing parking spaces. Within the loop, there will be a new picnic area, a pavilion, an interpretive kiosk, rain gardens, and some other features to go along with the project," said Steve Simms, the chief financial officer at First Community Foundation Partnership.
The project will cost about $500,000. The First Community Foundation Partnership received a matching grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and a grant from Lycoming County Act 13 to help pay for the improvements.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to expand the park, the parking lot, and to be able to provide a better overall experience for the users," said Simms.
Users like Madisyn Neal have been frequenting the trails at Rider Park for years. Neal says the upgrades are something the park has needed for a while.
"I think there's a lot of addressing need in the community here, there's a lot of school-aged people and college-aged people that don't even know Rider Park is here. They have just never heard of it before, so I think that's really going to gain momentum with spreading the word," said Neal.
The upgrades will also help with programming and education.
"We try to partner with local experts, so I asked Lycoming College professors to come. We do salamander hikes. We do rattlesnake education," said Sara Street, Rider Park manager.
Park upgrades will start in June. They're expected to take six weeks to complete.